Ii104-10326-10078 | 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 |

a

SECRET

STAFF |

CONF: IMS/BESG INFO: CE/R/IO, CIC/CEG, CIC/CEGEUR, CIC/CEGLA,
CIC/LA, CIC/OG, CIC/oGguUCT, CIC/PRC, DC/EUR, DO/TRO, EUR/DCCI, EUR/SG,
EUR/SGF, IMDORECORD, LA/FIG, LA/FIGSC, LA/MXG, LA/MXO, LA/MXSTB, LIMITED,
MDSX, ODPD, FILE, C/EUR, C/LA, CE/R, CE/R/XO, CIC/EUR (7/P)

98 0430861 ASO PAGE 001 |
TOT: 041406Z FEB 98 DIRECTOR 674771 t
SECRET A
STAFF 041407Z DIRECTOR 674771
TO: IMMEDIATE MOSCOW, PARIS, MEXICO CITY, BUENOS AIRES.
FROM: LIMITED DISSEM IMS/ESG INFO DO/IRO, CHIEF/LA, LA/FIG,
LA/FIGSC, CIC/LA, CIC/EUR, EUR/SG, EUR/SGF, CHIEF/EUR, DC/EUR,
C/CE/R/XO
SLUGS: WNINTEL
SUBJECT: CONTINUED PROTECTION OF COVER AS METHOD \
REF: NONE
_ TT =F a ee ag es
su TEXT: =

i. ACTION REQUIRED: NEED YOUR RESPONSE NLT 9 FEBRUARY, TO
MEET THE BOARD-IMPOSED DEADLINE.

* 2. THE<JFK ASSASSINATIONSRECORDS REVIEW BOARD (ARRB) IS A
PRESIDENTIALLY-APPOINTED BOARD WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RELEASING
*ALL RECORDS RELATING TO THE<ASSASSINATION>OF<PRESIDENT KENNEDY>
WITH A VERY FEW LIMITED EXCEPTIONS. THE MOST RELEVANT EXCEPTION
FOR THE AGENCY IS WHERE THERE IS "...CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE
THAT THE THREAT TO THE CONDUCT OF US INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AND
FOREIGN RELATIONS OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND THAT
DISCLOSURE WOULD REVEAL AN INTELLIGENCE METHOD CURRENTLY UTILIZED
AND NOT OFFICIALLY DISCLOSED." : ~
3. LAST WEEK, THE DDA AND THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE
FOR ADMINISTRATION WERE CALLED TO TESTIFY ON THE CONTINUED
WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION WHAT WOULD OFFICIALLY gous “THT Cra||

LEELIZES STATE CINCCODING SDECIPICALLY CONSULAR) COVERS” THIS” CASE
S MADE DIFFICULT BY THE FACT THAT STATE COVER 1S SO WIDELY
DISCUSSED IN THE PUBLIC MEDIA INCLUDING THE MANY BOOKS AUTHORED BY
FORMER CIA EMPLOYEES; HOWEVER, THE USG HAS NEVER OFFICTALLY
RELEASED THE FACT OF STATE COVER. ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE WAS BRIEFED
TN DEPTH, THE BOARD HAS REQUESTED ADDITIONAL CONCRETE DAMAGE
VIS-A-VIS THE COUNTRIES SPECIFIED IN THE DOCUMENTS AT
ISSUE--MOSCOW, PARIS, MEXICO CITY AND BUENOS AIRES.

4. ACCORDINGLY, WE NEED YOUR SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT OF THE
DAMAGE THAT COULD ARISE IF OFFICIAL USG. DOCUMENTS WERE RELEASED
WiSEGH-CONELRMS= CEA-USE OF STATE COVER. THAT DAMAGE COULD TAKE THE~
PORM OF HARM OR INTERFERE WITH CURRENT DIPLOMATIC INTERESTS. THE

SECRET


13-00000

SECRET
98-0430861 SENS IND? PAGE
—- ol Joe SS ;
UESEPONS-MAY ASSIST IN THE FORMULATION OF YOUR
RESPONSE. OF COURSE, INPUT FROM STATE COLLEAGUES WOULD BE WELCOME
(AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT STATE FEELS VERY STRONGLY ON THIS
ISSUR AND HAS ALSO FILED A PERSONAL STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF
STATE) .
(A). IF THE STATION IS UNDECLARED, WOULD THIS DISCLOSURE

LEAD TO CLOSER EMBASSY SCRUTINY OR OTHERWISE INTERFERE WITH
OPERATIONS? GIVE EXAMPLES.

(B) OTHERWISE, IS CIA UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE HOST
GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE PRESENCE, OR MORE FULLY DECLARE PRESENCE, OR
UNDERTAKE NO UNDECLARED ACTIVITIES? DESCRIBE PRESENCE. DESCRIBE
THOSE ACTIVITIES TO RESTRICT CIA (E.G. SERVICE TO SERVICE, i
LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES, OPPOSITION POLITICAL INITIATIVES, AND
MEDIA ACTIVITIES.)

| (C) DESCRIBE SOME PARTICULAR ACTIVITIES WHICH COULD BE
IMPERILED?

(D) ARE THERE NEW INITIATIVES WITH THE HOST GOVERNMENT AND
SERVICE WHICH COULD BE IMPBERILED (E.G., COUNTER-NARCOTICS WHERE
PREVIOUSLY NONE)? DESCRIBE.

(E) IS CIA PRESENCE INHERENTLY SENSITIVE
BECAUSE OF HOSTILE POPULATION ELEMENTS OR POLITICAL ACTIVITIES?

(F) TS THERE POSSIBILITY OF HOSTILE USE (E.G., RUSSIAN ON
CUBAN) TO DISCREDIT US EMBASSY AS A "NEST OF SPIES OR SIMILAR?

(G) HAVE THERE BEEN PAST IMBROGLIOS OVER CIA PRESENCE OR
ACTIVITIES THAT THIS RELEASE COULD RESURRECT?

Mi

(H) HAVE OFFICIAL USG RELEASES SUCH AS FOIA BVER APPEARED IN
THE LOCAL MEDIA (E.G., JAPAN AND CAMPAIGN FINANCING OR PERU AND
FOIA RELEASED CONCERNING VLADIMIRO MONTESINOS TORRES) . REFERRED
TO BY HOST GOVERNMENT EITHER ON THE RECORD OR OFF THE RECORD.

5. FILE: NONE. INDEX: NONE. Ch BY: 2103140, CL REASON:
1.5(C), DECL ON: Xl, DRV FROM: LOC 4-82.
CABLETYPE: GECO STAFF 4.0.1-.>
RELNO: DORELSO100880721
ORIG: IMS/ESG(KNUTSOM, 44596); AUTH: C/IMS/ESG (FREDRICK C.

WICKHAM) ; COORD: CE/R, LA/MXO, LA/FIGSC, EUR/SGF, ; INFO:
HOF-ERO;-——RELY CYIMS/ESC (FREDRTICKIC WICKHAM) ;

END OF MESSAGE SECRET

SECRET


